


Love is Key

by lottielovebuzz



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-27
Updated: 2013-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-21 12:32:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/900356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lottielovebuzz/pseuds/lottielovebuzz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"To cast all angels from heaven, you will need... 1. the product of past love between angel and human. 2. the bow of a Cherubim, gifting human's with love. 3. the grace of an angel in love with a human". </p><p>What happens when Kevin finally figures out what the last ingredient is, why it had to be Castiel, and ends up telling everyone without thinking it through? What would happen?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Now, this is based off a series of gifs from [noangelsinthegarrison](http://noangelsinthegarrison.tumblr.com) from tumblr. This chapter was inspired by [this one](http://noangelsinthegarrison.tumblr.com/post/55824728925). They're amazing. Honestly.
> 
> Anyway, I was so inspired by them that I decided to fic them. This'll only have two chapters. One for the first gif set, one for the second. Then that's it. If she brings out other parts of the series, I may add them but for now, it'll just be two.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

They all sit in the library of the Men of Letters' Bunker, all of them with a book in front of them… well except Kevin, he has the Angel Tablet in front of him, and a notepad and pen, making notes whenever he reads something interesting. Sam, Dean and Cas all have books though, but only Sam is reading.

Heaven's cast all of their Angels out, most of them didn't have a vessel to enter so would end up like Anna, have to be born and go through years of being human before they start to remember what they are. That'll be a pain for future hunters, Dean is sure, bunch of people getting locked up in nuthouses because they hear the Angel radio… mind you, that's if they manage to  _raise_ the Angel's that had a form back to Heaven, but the way things are going - with their luck - that's never going to happen. It looks like there's only going to be one Angel flying around Heaven; that dick Metatron.

But maybe, just maybe their bloody bad luck is finally running out, for Kevin immediately stands, moving so fast that his chair tumbles over as he holds the Angel Tablet in hand, rereading it to make sure he got it right.

Dean follows not long after, standing and staring at him, waiting for him to speak, and when he does, a very brief smile breaks onto his lips because they've  _finally_ got something.

'I found it: why it had to be Cas! The third ingredient!'

Sam is still too weak to stand, but Cas slowly rises from his chair, his eyes wary as he regards Kevin with those bright blue eyes.

'Well, c'mon Kev, don't keep it a secret.' Dean mutters, and if it were a book that he could understand, he would've snatched from his hands already.

'It's the Grace of an Angel in love with a human!' Kevin declares, his voice trembling with his happiness, they finally figured it out; they had solved the mystery they had been working on for  _months_ now.

But he doesn't seem to realise what he had just said, and it isn't until he looks up and sees the look on everyone's faces that he repeats it again, this time in his head and his eyes slowly flit over to Castiel, an apology deep within them as he mutters, 'Oh.'

'What?' Dean questions, his voice gruff and fierce, but he doesn't even look at Kevin because he doesn't really need for it to be repeated. It keeps bouncing around his head, growing in volume every time it repeats itself until it's deafening and it's all he can hear.

His eyes land on Cas, who grabs ahold of the back of his chair, hunching in on himself as he bows his head, finding it hard to look at anyone, and finding it even harder to stay in the room, because he can  _feel_ everyone's eyes on him, silent and judging.

But the second Dean talks, he straightens and slowly lifts his eyes to Dean's.

'Is that true?' Dean doesn't even blink, not once as he stares at Cas, asking the question in the same gruff tone as before. His eyes flit over Cas' face watching as his lips tremble slightly - such a human move that floors Dean momentarily - and moisture starts to collect in his eyes.

Sam turns his head away from both of them, almost clearing his throat like he normally does when the two of them stare at each other for longer than necessary, but he doesn't, because this isn't like those times. This is so different from this times that he's actually tempted to stand, grab Kevin and leave them both alone.

But he doesn't need to.

The second that Dean lets out a shaky breath, because he can see it in Cas' eyes, see that the news was true; that it had to be Cas because the third ingredient was the Grace of an Angel in love with a human, that's when Cas has had enough. He blinks once and Dean watches as a tear falls down his cheek, before he turns on his heel and walks through the closest door, taking him somewhere else in the Bunker because he can't be  _there_  anymore.

Dean watches him leave, as the realisation of what this means finally comes crashing down around him, because it's  _him_ Cas is love with. At first it was just the idea of Cas being in love that shocked Dean… in fact, maybe it wasn't, because he could feel it the second the words left Kevin's mouth. Something, somewhere deep within him alighted as if he knew that it was him that Cas loved.

And he could see it now. The sacrifices, the looks, it all made sense.

But what keeps Dean from moving, from saying anything, from going after Cas is that deep within him, he knows that he feels the same way. Hell, if he didn't, he would've let Cas return to Heaven the minute he was pulled from Hell. Normal people would've thanked the Angel that gripped them tight and raised them from perdition and been on their way, doing whatever they wanted when they asked, but not Dean. Dean gripped back, held on to Castiel as he raised him and slowly, gradually pulled him down.

It wasn't having a powerful alley; it wasn't having someone on the good side, it was just having Castiel. It was having Castiel near him whenever he could and feeling… almost empty when he wasn't there. It was feeling broken, shattered when Cas didn't listen to him and continued to go after Purgatory. It was keeping the filthy, dirty trench coat in the trunk of Baby even when he thought he was gone for good. It was being relieved as hell when he found him again, but wanting to keep him in the dark; keep him as Emanuel because he didn't want to cause him more pain. It was letting a demon watch over him, it was searching everywhere for him in Purgatory, it was letting Cas almost kill him because he thought that's what he wanted.

It was about being near Cas; it was about having Cas; it was about… it was about  _loving_ Cas.

'Dean,' he hears his little brother say, almost croak and he wants to tell him to get back to bed, to leave the books alone because he's still not one hundred percent, but he doesn't. Instead he blinks at him and watches as he nods towards the door that Castiel just left through. 'Go after him.'

He thinks about telling Sam to mind his own business, because it's not that when Dean tries to "help" him with his relationships, but instead, he nods once and all-but sprints through the door, trying to find Cas and cursing the Men of Letters for making their damn bunker too fucking big.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoying this fic?? I'd love you forever if you bought me a coffee!! ko-fi.com/cahwrites


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean finds Castiel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter corresponds to [part two of these gifsets](http://noangelsinthegarrison.tumblr.com/post/56192110299)

Dean finds Cas ten minutes after he started chasing him. He had followed the corridor and searched every room, but so many of them had another door that led to another room, that had another door that led to yet  _another_ room, and Dean was nearly  _praising_ Abaddon for killing all the Men of Letters, because they were idiots who had too many fucking rooms, but before it got that far, he found him.

Dean gives a quiet sigh of relief, because he's finally found him, but before he moves into the room to tell him… that, y'know… he just  _looks_ at him, not sure why he didn't just act first like he normally did; how he did before. He could say that he wasn't as brash as he used to be, and for that he was glad, otherwise he would've missed the way Castiel was hunched over on himself; missed the gentle shaking of his shoulders; missed the quiet sniffles and sharp breathing. Missed that he was crying.

Crying is  _so_ not Dean's thing, and he's sorely tempted to tuck-tail and run away, resolve to tell Cas later, but for some strange reason, he doesn't do it. Instead his feet slowly lead him into the room, grimacing as his boot-clad feet scuff against the floor, letting Castiel know he was there. But he doesn't move.

Dean almost breaks into a smile because of that; he couldn't deal with having to chase him again.

As he approaches the empty seat across from Castiel, he realises that he's not wearing his dirty trench coat. With a small frown, he surveys the room and notices it thrown haphazardly on the floor, almost as if thrown there just for something to do. Dean's been there before, throwing things because his emotions were overwhelming him, eating him alive, and he had no other way of letting them out.

It's another act that's so  _human_ that Dean sometimes wonder if the man in front of him was one hundred percent Angel before; sure, he didn't understand some - or most - of the pop culture references that Dean spouted, but the way he latched onto Dean and Sam, how  _quick_ he worked his way into their hearts and became family, how he seemed to pick up little human habits that always shocked Dean. Surely he had some human in his blood… somewhere, somehow, because no other Angel ever acted like Castiel.

'Hey there, Cas. Mind if I sit here?' He finally says, not exactly waiting for an answer because he sits down anyway, adjusting his seat so he was sitting directly across from him, their knees near enough touching but Dean keeps a small amount of distance. Truthfully, he still has doubts.

Dean says nothing for a beat, just watches him before sighing and turning his head away as he tries to think of how to start this. From the corner of his eye, he sees Castiel lift his head, breathing out sharply through his mouth he doesn't look at Dean, just looks at the space over his head. He can't look at Dean and Dean can't look at him.

 _Going great so far, dude_.

Dean sighs again, looking down at his lap before he finally speaks, 'You in love with me Cas?'

He smirks at the end, not sure why but it just seems weird to be asking a freaking ex-Angel of the Lord if he was in love with him. And a part of him is still waiting for either Kevin or Sam, or hell, even Castiel to jump up and say "gotcha!"; waiting for one of them to admit they were just joking with him. He may kill them all when they do.

He doesn't expect Cas to answer, so isn't surprised when he just lowers his head and sniffles, taking in a shaky breath and Dean's heart  _throbs_  at the sound because he shouldn't be sad. He doesn't deserve to be sad.

''Cause, you know, if you are…' Dean trails off for a second, because the look on Castiel's face is too much at that moment; too much for him to keep his train of thoughts. Cas just clenches his eyes shut, pressing his lips - those plump fucking lips - together, and Dean swears that he's steeling himself. Waiting for Dean to tell him he needs to leave, that hello, he's straight and  _so_ not into dick.

Dean almost laughs at the very idea, that the Angel of Lord was fearing rejection from  _him_. A pitiful human with too many fucking problems to list. Especially when he's sure he's gazed at Castiel with more than friendship or admiration in his eyes; bloody one thousand percent sure that he's looked like a love sick puppy whilst looking at him.

He leans forward, getting Cas' attention for a second but his eyes still don't look directly at him, and Dean's not for having that.

'...Well,' he starts up and he sees Cas' eyes flit over to him again, 'that's the best news I've heard in a long time.'

Finally admitting it seems to take a fucking weight off his chest and he gives a small smile, not a big toothy grin or anything else like he normally does - the fake ones. It's a simple twitch of his lips and leaves it to his eyes to do all the talking.

He waits with bated breath for Castiel's reaction, and when he gets it, he knows the confession was worth it; that this wasn't some prank that Sammy was playing on him.

It's simple but it warms Dean's heart; Cas shakes his head, a small barely there movement, before he gives a shaky laugh as a wide smile pulls at his lips. Dean can't help it. His smile widens with Cas' and he just sits there, staring at Cas in wonder because he's actually giving out a breathless laugh.

But there are still tears on his face, so in a moment of impulse, Dean reaches out and rubs his thumb under his eyes, brushing away the tears with a smaller smile on his face.

Dean lets his hand drop onto Castiel's knee before he gives a chuckle.

'What?' Cas questions, his voice raw from those spilt tears and all this emotion that was bubbling under his chest, in his heart, spreading like heat to every point in his body. Engulfing him whole, but he didn't fight it; he allowed the heat to spread; to take control because it was the best, most pure feeling he had felt in a long time.

Dean gives a chuckle again when Cas places his hand on top of his, the one that was still resting on Cas' knee.

'Nothing, just,' he clears his throat. God why did he dive head first into this? Clearly there was going to be discussions of  _feelings_ afterwards. Yeah. He should've ran when he thought about it.

But like usual, Castiel just  _gets_ him, and he gives Dean's hand a gentle squeeze, the tears easing and the defeated, broken look in his eyes slowly disappearing. Dean's relieved. He couldn't stand the idea of Castiel being sad because of him. He knew better than anyone that he had caused Cas enough pain already; he didn't want to cause anymore.

Cas gives a small chuckle that echoes Dean's before murmuring, 'I know.'

And Dean knew, with those two words and another soft squeeze of his hand, that running away would've been the worst mistake, because this,  _this_ was something he had been waiting for,  _aching_ for, for so long.

And the idea of running away from that seemed ridiculous when looking into those bright blue eyes and finally seeing  _hope_ again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoying this fic?? I'd love you forever if you bought me a coffee!! ko-fi.com/cahwrites


End file.
